Abstract
Liquid biopsy is gaining importance in oncology in the age of precision medicine. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), among other tumor-derived indicators, are isolated and analysed from bodily fluids. EVs are secreted by both healthy and cancerous cells and are lipid bilayer-enclosed particles that are diverse in size and molecular makeup. Since their quantity, phenotype, and molecular payload, which includes proteins, lipids, metabolites, and nucleic acids, mirror the nature and origin of parental cells, EVs are valuable transporters of cancer information in tumour context. This makes them interesting candidates for new biomarkers. Being closely linked to the parental cells in terms of composition, quantity, and roles is a crucial aspect of EVs. Multiple studies have shown the crucial part tumor-derived EVs plays in the development of cancer, and this subject is currently a hot one in the field of oncology. The clinical applications of EVs-based technology that are currently being tested in the areas of biomarkers, therapeutic targets, immune evasion tools, biologically designed immunotherapies, vaccines, neutralising approaches, targeting biogenesis, and extracorporeal removal were the main focus of this review. However, more bioengineering refinement is needed to address clinical and commercial limitations. The introduction of these new potential diagnostic tools into clinical practise has the potential to profoundly revolutionise the cancer field, primarily for solid tumours but also for haematological neoplasms. The development of EV-based therapies will be facilitated by improvements in EV engineering methodology and design, transforming the current pharmaceutical environment.